To say that the peace between the communities has gotten a little tense over the past two episodes would be an understatement, based on long-standing resentment aimed at the Sanctuary and the stink of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) that still permeates it. Not helping matters is that a number of ex-Saviors have gone missing from Rick’s (Andrew Lincoln) bridge-building project – and while it was initially written off as just a bunch of Negan followers who decided to move on to greener pastures, the growing number of missing is starting to make both sides nervous.

In the following preview for this week’s episode of AMC‘s The Walking Dead, ‘Warning Signs,’ that nervousness has turned to paranoia and fear, as a number of the Sanctuary’s residents go looking for answers – and find Maggie (Lauren Cohan) in the process:

The Walking Dead s09e03 ‘Warning Signs’: Rick’s vision for the future is threatened by a mysterious disappearance that divides the work camp where the communities are building a bridge.

Here’s a look back at Bleeding Cool‘s review of last week’s episode ‘The Bridge’:

Last season brought the culmination of “All Out War,” which pitted Rick Grimes and his group of survivors against the Saviors and their cunning leader, Negan. With Negan’s life in his hands, Rick had a character-defining choice in front of him. By making the unilateral decision to spare Negan, Rick upheld the values his late son, Carl, championed in order to build for the future, but created conflict within his group.

Now, we see our survivors a year and a half after the end of the war, rebuilding civilization under Rick’s steadfast leadership. It is a time of relative peace among the communities as they work together, looking to the past to forge the future, but the world they knew is rapidly changing as man-made structures continue to degrade, and nature takes over, changing the landscape and creating new challenges for our survivors.

AMC

As time passes, the communities confront unexpected obstacles, danger, and of course, walkers, but nothing quite prepares them for the formidable force they are about to encounter, which threatens the very idea of civilization that our survivors have worked so hard to build.

Based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman and published by Image Comics, “The Walking Dead” reigns the number one drama on television among adults 18-49 for the last six seasons. The series is executive produced by chief content officer Scott M. Gimple, showrunner Angela Kang, Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, David Alpert, Greg Nicotero, Tom Luse, and Denise Huth.

AMC

Here’s a look ahead at the overviews for the remaining episodes before the series’ mid-season break – and the lack of information on s09e06 is pretty much a ten-ton hint that something big is going to happen:

The Walking Dead s09e04 ‘The Obliged’: Rick’s vision of a civilized future is threatened by a sudden reckoning with past sins that remain unavenged and unforgiven.

The Walking Dead s09e05 ‘What Comes After’: Rick is forced to face the past as he struggles to maintain the safety of the communities and protect the future he and Carl envisioned.

The Walking Dead s09e06 TBA

The Walking Dead s09e07 ‘Stradivarius’: Carol seeks out an old friend living alone in a wilderness teeming with walkers; survivors make the perilous trek to a new home.

The Walking Dead s09e08 ‘Evolution’: A small rescue mission braves a dangerous herd in their hunt for a missing comrade, only to discover a surprising threat that could doom them all.

Prouldy serving as TV Editor, Ray started with Bleeding Cool in 2013 as a contributing writer/photographer before being brought aboard as staff in 2017. Counting John Cusack as his pop culture "spirit animal," his "word fu" stays strong as he continues trying really hard to be the sheppard...